One juror added in Heath trial

Updated 11:17 pm, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

DANBURY -- A full day of interviews Wednesday added one juror to the eight people previously selected in the state Superior Court murder trial of former Newtown resident John Heath.

However, that addition could be a wash because one of the people chosen earlier wants to be excused, Judge Robin Pavia said.

The judge told defense lawyer Frank O'Reilly and prosecutor Warren Murray that after the trial was recessed earlier this month, she received a letter from a male juror who was worried that a lengthy trial could cause problems with his employer.

Heath is accused in the beating death of his 32-year-old wife, Elizabeth, who vanished from their Poverty Hollow Road home in 1984.

Her body was found in 2010, and Heath, now 70 years old and confined to a wheelchair because of several health problems, was charged with her murder last year.

Jury selection had been on hold since Aug. 6, and testimony isn't scheduled to begin until Sept. 25. The evidentiary portion of the trial is expected to last four to six weeks, and 16 jurors -- 12 regular and four alternates -- have to be chosen before that happens.

The juror who wrote the letter was not identified, and no immediate action was taken on the request.

Although the selection process has been conducted sporadically since the middle of July, it will now continue on a virtually daily basis until a full jury has been seated, leaving the judge and the lawyers time to determine whether the reluctant juror will be needed.